Seed-corn tester.



J. G. KLAVE.

SEED 001m TESTER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1913. RENEWED MAY 2, 1914.

Patented June 30, 1914,

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JOHN C. KLAVE, OF ELK POINT, SOUTH DAKOTA.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 3Q 1914 Application filed January 18, 1913, Serial No. 742,456. Renewed May 2,1914. Serial No. 835,987.

To all whom it may concern Be-it known that 1, JOHN C. KLAVE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Elk Point, in the county of Union and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seed- Corn Testers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. v

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in seed corn testers the ob ject of the invention being to provlde a device of this character which is particularly adapted for use by farmers in testing the germinating qualities of grain and which might be also employed to advantage by maltsters for analogous purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a seed corn tester of the above character which will possess advantages in points of efliciency and durability, is inexpensive of manufacture and at the same time is simple in construction and operation.

lVith the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan View. Fig. 2 is a detail enlarged sectional view.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates the body base board of my improved seed tester which may be constructed of wood, metal or other suitable material and is substantially rectangular in form. Mounted upon the top face of the body and arranged at the sides and ends thereof is a rim or flange 2. The upper face of the body 1 is provided with a plurality of semicircular recesses 3, said recesses being arranged in rows of any suitable number and extending both longitudinally and transversely of the board. It will be understood that any number of recesses may be used according to the size of the base board but for the purpose of illustration, 1 have shown in the present form, the base board provided with one hundred recesses arranged in rows of ten which extend both longitudinally and transversely of the board. Each of the recesses 3 is divided into two compartments by means of a metallic plate 4: which is arranged across the central portions of the recesses and driven downwardly into the body member to securely hold the same in position. If the body member 1 is constructed of metal or other similar material, it will be apparent that suitable recesses would have to be formed for the division plates 4 and any suitable means may be employed for retaining said plates in position. It will be apparent from the drawings thatthe division plates'& are so arranged as to be disposed longitudinally of the body board.

Tn'the operation of my improved corn tester all of the imperfect grain is removed from both ends of the ears to be tested, one

kernel is then removed from the butt end and placed in one of the recesses at the left hand side of the division plate, a second kernel is taken from the tip end of the ear and placed in the recesses at the right of the division plate. In filling the tester, the start is to be made at the left hand side of the board and proceeding from left to right at the same time the ears from which the kernels have been removed are placed in order upon a rack or other suitable support. After all of the recesses have been filled, each recess containing two kernels of corn, the same are filled with warm water and in a short space of time dry loose earth is added until even with the top surface of the body 1, a suitable covering of cloth, sawdust or moisture retaining substance is then placed over the top of the earth. In the present instance, I have illustrated a suitable cloth covering for the earth. After the covering has been placed in position, the tester is kept in a warm place from at least 3 to 4: days. At the end of a certain number of days the corn is removed from the tester and as each recess is emptied, a plainly visible object is placed within the recesses vacated by the bad or unhealthy corn. Thus the tester will contain a record of the condition of the corn. The ear and the respective testing recesses of the body member can be suitably designated by any kind of means so that when the seed is germinated or sprouted or if it fails to germinate, the results relative to each particular car, can be quickly determined and the ear accepted or rejected. After the testers have been emptied, the same maybe hung up in any suitable space and suspended by means of the eye 5 secured to one end of the body board.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent that I have provided a simple and durable tester of the above character whereby the germinating qualities of seed, corn or other grain may be readily tested. It will also be apparent that the tester itself is extremely simple in construction and at the same time is inexpensive to manufacture.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, it will be obvious that various changes in the details of construction and in the proportions may be resorted to for successfully carrying my invention into practice without sacrificing any of the novel features or departing from the scope of the appended claims.

VVhat I claim is 1- 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a body, a rim formed upon the upper face of the body at the side edges thereof, said body being provided with a plurality of recesses arranged in trans verse and longitudinal rows, and means for dividing said recesses into compartments.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a substantially rectangular body, a rim arranged upon the top face of the body and extending around the sides thereof, said body being provided upon the upper face with a plurality of recesses extending in transverse and longitudinal rows and division plates arranged within said recesses whereby the same are divided into compartments.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. KLAVE.

Witnesses:

A. O. Rnrrronn, Aer-r Lnvesnnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gemmissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

